1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is broadly concerned with the production of silicon micro- and nanostructures, specifically silicon micro- and nanotubes, using standard silicon processing techniques such as lithography and etching.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Silicon micro- and nanostructures (e.g., silicon nanotubes) are of interest for a number of applications, such as for use in high-tech batteries. Silicon nanostructures are being reported in the literature in laboratory-scale demonstration, but methods to fabricate them incorporate high-temperature (≧320° C.) chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or pyrolysis techniques, which are non-scalable in production. Other methods, such as metal-assisted etching and electrodeposition, require the use of block copolymers, which involve complex synthesis, making them less desirable for large scale manufacturing. Deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) methods require expensive tooling and relatively long process times to complete the manufacturing cycle and are, therefore, difficult to scale. Scanning probe lithography and focused high energy proton beam irradiation are not practical for mass production because patterning speed is slow. In order to make silicon micro- and nanostructures feasible for commercial use, simplification and scalability of their manufacture is necessary.